Not applicable.
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to a method for sorting items, such as postal or mail items, according to their distribution addresses. Herein, a surface of a mail item is recorded with the help of a picture recording unit. The recorded image is relayed to an image evaluating unit where it is determined whether the address surface, facing the picture recording unit, is in a correct orientation for effective reading and/or evaluation of at least the address field of the address surface. If the correct position is present, a read of the distribution address is effected and, if successful, a respective sorting takes place. The mail items which have an incorrect orientation or a position with the addresses turned away from the picture recording unit are led into a special bin. The orientation and position of the mail items are then corrected and the mail items are sent back to the sorting machine from these special bins, i.e. they arrive together with new mail items on the feeder of the mail separator. Should the direct reading process of the distributing address be thereafter started, it may occur that the reading process cannot be completed successfully. In this case, the mail items are also sorted into a special bin from which they are fed to the sorting machine for a new reading attempt. It may occur during tie new sorting runs, that the reattempted reading is still not correct or effective leading to successive repetition of the above steps. Accordingly, successive sorting to special bins and reintroduction into the main mail sorting stream may result in damage to the mail item(s) and/or throughput reduction.
The present invention is directed to a method for avoiding multiple resorting of mail pieces which were already sorted to special bins based on non-readability. Particular markings, on for example a mail item stack, are implemented to indicate when mail items from special bins are up for recirculation, This is in contrast to mail items being sorted for an initial reading. If a recirculation is determined, the mail item is sorted into an additional sorting bin, out from which they are not fed again into the reading and sorting process of the sorting machine, if the mail pieces to be fed have an awkward position or orientation for reading, then their position is corrected prior to recirculation. Accordingly, uncontrolled multiple cycles of the reading and sorting process is thereby avoided.
It is advantageous to mark the beginning and end of a stack of mail pieces from a special bin for recirculation by a prearranged and/or subordinate separating card, which is recognizable by the sorting machine, and which may be provided with machine-readable identifications.
It is also advantageous, to mark the beginning and end of a stack of mail pieces from a special bin for recirculation by marking the first and last mail piece with lightly adhering and residue-free removable labels which may further be provided with a machine-readable identification.
To discharge the picture recording unit and the image evaluating unit and to thereby shorten the reading process, it is also advantageous to use a special reader, which is also usable for other tasks, for the recognition of the marked beginning and end of the respective stack.
The present invention is further directed to a method for sorting items according to a destination address, comprising the steps of: recording a surface of the item with a picture recording unit, said picture recording unit being a part of an item sorting machine; determining the presence of said address with an image evaluation unit, and if said address is present, reading said address with said image evaluation unit; if said address is not readable, sorting said item into a select bin; determining when said bin contains a select number of items thereby forming a stack of items within said bin; marking a beginning and end of said stack; reorienting said stack, into a select appropriate position; directing said select positioned stack from said bin to an entrance of said sorting machine; reading addresses of items in said stack; and if said step of reading addresses of items in said stack is unsuccessful, sorting unsuccessfully read items into a select special bin.